The present invention relates to a connector of the insulation-perforating type for a suspended electrical system.
Suspended electrical systems (or cable systems) are constituted by electrical devices (typically lighting devices) supported and supplied by insulated supply cables stretched, for example, between two walls. The devices are connected electrically to each supply cable by means of suitable insulation-perforating connectors.
Known connectors are generally constituted by an insulating body which is closed around a portion of the supply cable and in a side portion of which a free end of an insulated branch cable of the electrical device is inserted. A metal blade is forced into a slot in the insulating body so as to cut an insulating covering of the supply cable and of the branch cable and thus to establish an electrical contact between the two cables; the slot in which the metal blade is inserted is then covered by an insulating protection element which can be reopened.
A disadvantage of known connectors is that they can easily be opened in order to be moved to a different position along the supply cable. In this situation, the portion of the supply cable in which the connector was previously positioned is not insulated because its covering has been cut by the metal blade. This creates a dangerous situation and a serious risk in the event of accidental contact with the supply cable.
The object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks. To achieve this object, a connector as described in the first claim is proposed.
In short, a connector of the insulation-perforating type for a suspended electrical system is provided and comprises conductive means for cutting an insulating covering of an insulated supply cable in order to connect an electrical device electrically to an uncovered portion of the supply cable, and an insulating structure for enclosing the conductive means, the insulating structure including a first insulating element which can be closed around the supply cable in a non-reversible manner in order to protect the uncovered portion from manual contact, and a second insulating element which can be connected to the electrical device and which can be joined reversibly to the first insulating element, the first insulating element comprising means for preventing sliding along the supply cable.
An electrical device comprising the connector, a suspended electrical system comprising the device, and a corresponding connection method are also proposed.